Marginalization and Social Justice

Course Schedule (Version 4.0)

Jan. 16 1. Culture: History of the Concept

• Wren, "The Concept of Culture"
• "A Baseline Definition of Culture" (excellent web site, esp. entries on Geertz and Bodley)
• Selected encyclopedia articles

 
  23 2. Culture and Society
Essentialist vs. constructionist models; ethnic cultures

• Kroeber and Parsons, "Concepts of Culture and of Social System"
• Wren, "Culture and Society"
• Keesing, "Theories of Culture Revisited"

 
  30 3. The Mainstream
Multiculturalist movements; the role of the canon

• Nussbaum, Cultivating Humanity, chs. 1-3
• John Paul II, "Dialogue Between Cultures" (handout)
 
Feb  6 4. Conflict and Social Control (WK & TW)
Assimiliation vs. pluralist models; institutionalized oppression

• MacIntyre, "Social Science Methodology"
• Turner, "The Conflict Model"
• Kincheloe & Steinberg, "Hegemony, Representation, and the Struggle for Justice"

 
  13 5. Dependency

• MacIntyre, Dependent Rational Animals, chs. 1-7
• MacIntyre's definition of "practice"
 
  20 6. Dependency, cont. • MacIntyre, Dependent Rational Animals, chs. 8-end
• Midgley, "Is a Dolphin a Person?"
 
  27

7. Marginalization
Boundary maintenance; cognitive styles; worldviews

 • Taylor, Multiculturalism
• Wren, "Introductory Remarks on Taylor (with outline)"
• Wren, "The Liberal-Communitarian Debate"
• Barth, "Boundary Maintenance" (optional reading)
 
March  6 Spring Break Enjoy!
 
  13 8. Marginalization, cont.
Personal and group identity formation		 • Wren, "Personal and Cultural Identity"
• Kincheloe & Steinberg, "Hegemony, Representation, and the Struggle for Justice" (as above)
 
  20

9. Social Justice Theories
Classic approaches (Aristotle, Cronin)

 • Aristotle, "Justice"
• Cronin, "The Social Virtues"
• The New Catholic Encyclopedia, "Justice"
 
  27 10. Social Justice Theories, cont.
Contemporary approaches (Rawls, Silvers)		 • Young, "Social Difference as a Political Resource"
• Silvers, "Rights of People with Disabilities"
 
April  3 11. The disabled: A paradigm case of marginalization • Ingstadt & Whyte, "Disability and Culture: An Overview"
• Eskay, Gardner, & Nyirenda, "Culture and Disability"
• Baird, "Conversations about Distributive Justice" (optional reading)
 
  10

12. Student Presentations #1 & #2
 Josephine & Amy - Jeanne S. & Mark

 Readings to be provided a week in advance by the speakers
 
  17 13. Student Presentations #3 & #4
Kathy & Melissa - Jorge & Kurt		 Readings to be provided a week in advance by the speakers
  26 14. Student Presentations #5 & #6
Jeanne D. & Abier - John
Readings to be provided a week in advance by the speakers